Water leaders team up to reach 2 million people

Grundfos is joining forces with the largest nongovernmental organization providing clean water for people in sub-Saharan Africa.

World Vision, which is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the developing world, has together with Grundfos announced a new partnership to provide clean water to 2 million people in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years.

“The partnership of World Vision and Grundfos will help millions of poor people have access to clean water,” said Greg Allgood, vice president of water at World Vision. “Not only are World Vision and Grundfos providing clean water but we’re providing it with clean energy by using solar-powered systems.”

World Vision will over the coming years install more than 1,000 Grundfos solar-powered pumps in sub-Saharan African villages in order to provide a sustained water supply. World Vision already has a long-term humanitarian development presence in these communities, which supplements the clean water with other critical needs such as economic development, healthcare and education.

“This partnership is truly historic and unique. Grundfos and World Vision will engage in many ways to take on this huge and very important task of supplying drinking water in critical areas. Together we will target the most vulnerable people in developing countries and enabling us to ensure decent and sustainable living conditions for millions of people," said Rasoul D. Mikkelsen, director for strategic partnerships in Grundfos.

Once World Vision digs a well that serves as a community’s water source, it will use a solar-powered Grundfos pump to store the water in an overhead tank. And an automatic water dispenser with water management system will ensure effective monitoring and long-term support, service and maintenance.

Not only are these mechanized systems environmentally friendly and provide more accessible water points for the community, but they are less expensive per person reached to install than traditional boreholes.

World Vision already is an industry leader in this approach, having provided more than 200 of these mechanized water systems in villages around the world.

The collaboration also will enable World Vision to maintain the average per-person cost, currently $50, of providing clean water.